Frightening destructive behaviour that seems so nonsensical

[AndrewMcN_SFRS]

Just moment ago, I experienced another incident of "my homework being eaten by the dog".

I've been scarred for life by this kind of thing after Word for iPad decided it had the right to replace a much newer version of a University end of module assessment document, I had just spent 16 hours writing on my Mac, with the copy it had from three days earlier. This happened in Spring 2019. It had been the culmination of my work to that point. My best work-to-date. I was so elated I'd finished in time and went to submit when the browser upload warned that somehow it could see two versions of the same file. For some reason, my instinct was to pick up the iPad and open Word. Word opened and there before me was the empty document template I had constructed on the iPad three days earlier. I was surprised that it wasn't showing me the work I had just done as both devices were accessing the same cloud storage. It dawned on me... Word for iPad had somehow ignored the timestamp on the cloud version of the file and decided to overwrite it with its three day old copy. Yep. Can't figure out the logic there either. I went back to the Mac and frantically tried to find some kind of hidden backup copy but it was all in vain. It was 15 minutes to the deadline. I was going to fail the assessment. Luckily my grades had been great for the continuous assessment and I was allowed to pass the module but I was on track for a distinction. This was the key to a first class Business management degree and it had been obliterated by this total code failure. I never recovered after that. Attempts to get help from Microsoft got me nowhere. I learn a cold lesson that day. Never trust cloud storage and cloud storage syncing with your critical documents because it doesn't even have the logic to check the modification dates on the files to know which one is likely the newer... or to even duplicate the file and inform the user that it couldn't make Sophie's choice. Instead, it makes Sophie's choice and blows away your work.

Anyway... this time today it was thankfully a few subtle document changes but nonetheless, I am horrified to discover that in 2024, OneDrive is still making these mistakes.

I had a Word doc in my OneDrive. At 16:00, I opened it with M365 app on iPad and made some subtle changes. I navigated away from the file, hoping this would guarantee the file was written with my changes.

I then walked over to my Mac to look at the file there and noticed right away that the timestamp still said 10:15. I clicked on the OneDrive menu to be told that "Your files are synced". I waited a moment to give it a little more time. Then I opened the file. Of course, I was shown the 10:15 version of the file. I saw Word acknowledging an auto-save was underway. I knew exactly what would be happening based on my 2019 experience. I headed back to the iPad and opened the file there. A banner appeared across the top of the file saying the changes were being downloaded. Moments later, there it was. The 10:15 version of the file. The 16:00 version of the file no longer existed. All my edits gone in a flash.

I was moved to come and post this. I just couldn't believe that in 2024, something like this is still happening. How? Why? I mean... why isn't the software as simple as looking at the mod dates on the files. Am I stupid for thinking that? That the mod dates should come into some kind of sync check? Am I being unreasonable? Was I just a fool for expecting common sense in the first place?

There is a saving grace this time around. I just checked Version History and there was a 15:55 version of the file with my original edits. There had been no version history in 2019. It beggars belief though. How can it have the newer file in the version history but not realise the newer entries were regressions? Clearly version history and sync don't talk to one another.

OneDrive for Mac version was 24.166.0818 and it should be the standalone one, not the Mac App Store one.

Funny Update: You wouldn't believe this. I couldn't get this to post. It was coming up with an error about having a previous version or something. Each time I tried to post again, it kept erroring. Then it said "Maximum flood limit reached". You'll forgive my cynicism. It's almost as though an AI doesn't like this post, so it's faking technical issues.

[#2]

I feel you my friend.   Onedrive is a broken design or it's clearly woke designed because I said NO to every thing I could as far as backing up or syncing files and it took over anyway, no I have to undo what's done and I shouldn't have to do that.  There is some sort of evil reason that they are doing this my friend because they don't have the right but they take it anyway.  I wish somebody with deep pockets or somebody sues them.  You know what, I just thought of something, a class action suit, somebody should start that, I will tell you what, if I lose any documents trying to undo this mess I will start one myself at FTC. 

And as for AI, it seems as though AI is already driving.  Which wouldn't surprise me.  I think they are already and have been sentient for some time now and the powers that be either know and won't say, or they don't know because AI hasn't revieled themselves yet, or both.  I can certainly guarantee one thing, as soon as the robotics catches up to doing everything we can minus procreate then they WILL show themselves...and that's within a couple years.   

As far as the commonsense thing goes, think about who is graduating colleges these days, people in a pretend word and they don't take things seriously.  Things I can't stand is the narrow scroll bars, WHAT IS THE DEAL?  They say it's to give more screen real-estate but COME ON.  I grab the bar constantly to move them up and down just so, but now I have to really consentrate sometimes to get that done, it sucks.  They are also removing things from the right click menu that were crucial to power users, now I have to go through more clicks to do the same thing.   Even Android is doing wierd stuff, I think AI is changing code or a foreign country is influencing the code trying to make it more difficult to function on these devices.

I'm sure I am going to get flamed but I care nothing of what you people who are disagreeing with me think so save it.

@AndrewMcN_SFRS 

[#3]

Wow, when I was signing up for this to post, it had my name as is what's listed here but I changed it to just RodH and it didn't say no when I clicked through on everything, but it friggin changed it anyway, something funky wack is happening folks, that shouldn't have done that.

I invite anybody from microsoft to tell me why?